If you have always dreamed of a Santorini destination wedding and have loads of questions like we do, you are in luck today: this bride not only shared her intimate 10-person wedding with us, she also carefully detailed all the steps that went into her planning process. You have to read on!
How did you convince your parents to let you have a destination wedding?
Shereen: My husband and I got permission from both sets of parents to have a European destination wedding by deferring our traditional ceremony in KL to a month later. With their blessing, we managed to pursue this fairytale wedding in none other than the well-known love island of Santorini. It has always been a dream of mine to get married in this beautiful place, and now this is no longer just a dream but reality. We had it recorded on video to share with our guests at the KL wedding. The experience we had was truly beyond amazing and magnificent!
When did you decide to have a wedding in Santorini and why?
Shereen: My husband proposed to me in Maldives last November; just one month later we had booked a Santorini wedding package for the following year-end with the blessing of our parents. I wanted to experience a Western style wedding where my father could walk me down the aisle plus with a view of the outdoors. I chose Santorini for its breathtaking cliff and sea views. I’ve always loved that place and getting married there made it even better.
I also took the initiative to organise a ‘family moon’ to Athens and Italy with both our immediate families right after the wedding so they could bond and get to know each other. It was the best idea as we are closer than ever, and I personally felt like I had a big loving family. After that, the two of us flew to Paris for our honeymoon. The whole trip was a month long. The Santorini wedding might not have been witnessed by hundreds of people but it was shared with the most important people in our lives, and that’s what mattered most.
How did you start the planning and research?
My husband was the one who found this wedding planner and contacted them directly in Greece. We flew in to Singapore to meet them four months prior to the wedding, and two months later they flew in to KL to meet us. They even arranged accommodations, tours and food to provide us with the best Santorini experience. It saved us so much hassle.
These guys were also the stylist for our photoshoot, and helped us to coordinate the colours and style that best fit Santorini. It all turned out amazingly beautiful. Although there was a time zone difference, we trusted their expertise.
Were there any problems with the solemnisation/legalisation and paperwork?
It was not difficult but more steps were involved. We had to declare our single status in Greece, get our birth certificates translated, and then sign our marriage certificate in Greece and have it converted in KL to make it official.
Do you have any tips for brides out there who want to have a more intimate ceremony?
Trust your wedding planner’s ideas if you want a destination wedding. Don’t be afraid to be overly prepared, as you will not regret having backups. Always converse and build a good relationship with your wedding planners. I believe our videos turned out so well because they treated us as friends and thus were able to capture it with much love and passion. When your wedding planner is as invested in your wedding as you are, you will see perfection in every angle because they are treating it as their very own masterpiece!
SHEREEN & JAVE {Europe}
Photography and Videography by Sunrise Greece / Venue Santorini / Number of Guests 10 / Wedding Planning by Sunrise Greece / Bridal Gown by Celest Thoi / Bride’s Shoes by Lewré / Jewellery by Cartier / Groom’s Attire by Hugo Boss / Wedding Bands by Cartier